


Snippets (Post-March, 1998)

by Salmoneili



Series: HACF: Cam and Joe are just messing me up ... [10]
Category: Halt and Catch Fire
Genre: Bed baths, Cam does housework, Cameron's mom, Dirty Weekends, Duct tape and plastic bags, F/M, Inapproriate erections, Len (Cam's mom's bf), Moving to Miami, Nokia cellphones, Nurse kink, Pain and stubbornness, Random accidents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29099853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmoneili/pseuds/Salmoneili
Summary: A collection of shorts charting Cam & Joe’s new relationship.#Jameron #thirdtimelucky #???Sure it'd get steamy, I'll change rating if (when) it does.March update, rating change ... yeah ... it did ... dang ...Stay safe, Salmoneili ;)
Relationships: Cameron Howe/Joe MacMillan
Series: HACF: Cam and Joe are just messing me up ... [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1929043
Kudos: 7





	1. The Long Sleepover (June 10th)

**Author's Note:**

> 'HACF: Cam and Joe are just messing me up ...' Series Notes  
> This all started with a simple idea to expand on the night of COMDEX 90 from Cam’s POV and then flipping it for Joe’s.  
> I got more than a little carried away… and they turned into epics.  
> Then I wanted to explore their relationship at different times, reflecting on their development as they change and grow, their history and quirks.  
> All the parts try to follow the HACF timeline and events depicted on the show as closely as possible, with a bit of creative license about events only referred to.  
> Exceptions  
> \- plot deviation when Cam and Tom tried for a baby  
> \- post-Ryan's suicide, Joe's apartment is in San Jose not San Francisco  
> The series is pretty racy – mostly Mature only, maybe could even be Explicit in place (sex only). You have been warned.  
> Some parts have a sprinkling of Easter eggs for other Lee Pace characters from TV shows and movies.  
> Feeding my obsession.  
> These are the current list, and I’ll upload more parts as I finish them.  
> So far there’s ….  
> S1 - ‘Stuck’ (June 1983) and ‘Curious’ (Oct 1983) (in progress)  
> S2 – ‘Goddammit’ (June 1985)  
> S3 – ‘COMDEX 90 (Cam)’, ‘COMDEX 90 (Joe)’ Friday, Nov 16 1990  
> S4 – 'Segue' (Oct 1992) and ‘Phone Call’ (Mid-Oct 1993)  
> Post-canon – ‘Fate - Part 1' (March 1998), ‘Fate - Part 2' (March 1998), NEW as of Feb 2021! 'Snippets' (A collection of shorts post-Fate (Post-March 1998) in progress)  
> \-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
> Lovely HACF fandom and readers - I would much appreciate some feedback and/or kudos.  
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe's suddenly staying with Cam, maybe permanently.  
> It was the plan, but she hadn't figured it'd be so soon and is resisting it.  
> She does want him there really, right?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 1

11.54 a.m., Wednesday, June 10th, 1998

Cam’s Nokia 5110 cell beeped as she was loading the shopping into her car, ‘It’s too late, I’m already out,’ she told it, testily, shutting the trunk with more force than was necessary.

What did he want now? It was the fourth message he’d sent and she only been gone, she checked the clock on the phone’s display and did the math, 29 minutes.

Sighing loudly, she pressed the buttons and read his text, ‘U r mom wants goldfsih , just woken up – sorry- pi s ♥u’

She snorted and shook her head; his bad typing and errors made her smile. He usually was a stickler for accuracy, capital letters and punctuation, so she correctly guessed he’d typed it in hast, trying to reach her before she left the store.

Her feet were already heading back in, she couldn’t exactly deny a dying woman such a small thing, and she decided to buy several packets. She was quite fond of Goldfish too.

Her phone beeped again. She sighed, opening his text just before she entered the store. He apologised for errors in the last message and had rewritten it correctly. She knew he wouldn’t let up until she replied, ‘ok cu l8r x’

She smiled broadly, as she knew her shorthand would annoy him.

When she got back to her mom’s place, the third instalment of series game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees had already started, so she shooed Len away, telling him to go and sit down, knowing how much he loved the Rangers and it’d been a good distraction for Joe too.

She started unpacking the shopping alone.

‘Cameron? Do you need a hand?’ Joe’s deep voice came from the living room, over the sound of the TV.

‘No, I’m fine. Stay there, do not come out here, I’ll be in in a minute.’

Soon, most things were away save the snacks and she went into the lounge room, where everyone was.

‘So who’s winning?’ she asked to no-one in particular.

‘Still oh for oh, so far today, but the Yankees are leading 3-1. I don’t think your guys are gonna catch ‘em, Len.’ Joe directed the last part to Len, goading him.

‘Now don’t be too sure, I’ve told ya, we’ve got some fine players and mark my words, the Yankees’ll be overconfident now ...’

Cam shook her head and wished she’d never asked as Joe and Len got into in over stats and players. Rueing the day that baseball’d become such a major thing in all their lives.

Instead, she focused on her mom, she looked so frail having lost more weight despite trying to eat more. She was fighting a losing battle with the cancer inside of her, it having resurfaced early May and it had spread to two other places.

The prognosis wasn’t good.

Cam sat on the edge of her armchair, ‘How are you doing?’ she asked softly, knowing how she hated a lot of fuss.

‘I’m better after some proper sleep, thanks sweetie.’

Len had told her that her mom’d had a rough night when she’d dropped Joe off earlier.

‘Hey, do you want your painkillers now? It’s been four hours.’ directed at Joe this time.

He looked at her and nodded, ‘Oh, thank God. Yes, please.’

‘I hope a sandwich is OK, I got some of that nice bread and some ham off the bone, with some lettuce and tomato too?’

‘Sounds great, thanks.’

‘Is that OK for everyone else? And there’s chips and Goldfish too, of course.’

‘Just the Goldfish for me, thanks.’

Cam looked at her mom, ‘Sure? It’s no bother, really.’

‘Maybe later,’ and she smiled, ‘Get your other patient’s order first.’

She headed back to the kitchen and set about making a round of ham salad sandwiches for Joe, running the tap for some cold water and grabbing a glass from the cupboard.

Then she got his medicine from her bag, three pills, there were others he took at night-time, which were at hers, now theirs, she guessed.

She went back, taking everything in, including a bag of Goldfish for her mum.

‘Sandwich, then meds.’ needlessly reminding him.

‘Yes, Nurse Ratched.’ and he grinned, well as much as he could with his injuries.

She narrowed her eyes at him. He was a terrible patient and it’d only been a week and a half, there were at least three more months of this according to the surgeon, more if the bone didn’t heal well, and then there was his rehabilitation.

She sighed and went back to the kitchen to make sandwiches for her and Len.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The phone call last Monday had nearly given her heart palpitations, some unknown all official voice asking her to state her full name and then asking if she was Joseph Samuel MacMillan Junior’s next of kin.

Joe’d asked her to be it on their second weekend of seeing each other, his other next of kin had been his been an elderly aunt in some distant corner of Connecticut, his dad’s sister apparently, who he’d only seen about three times in his whole life. Then she'd died last fall, so he’d asked an attorney ‘friend’ to do it.

It was weird, she'd never know he even had a middle name until this year and now here it was again. He'd found out hers too at the same time, Margaret, ugh, what were her parents thinking?

After her dad's mom, apparently, but seriously?

Not that she used it, accept on legal documents, like this, which was the same as her real given name of Catherine.

She just shrugged her shoulders when he'd asked why she didn't legally change it to Cameron.

She smiled remembering how they'd called each other 'Sam' and 'Maggie' for the rest of the weekend. 

But Joe'd moved quickly, putting her name on all his legal affairs and things that needed a next of kin. He’d said the attorney had done it for him and she wondered what the catch had been.

Like her finances, which Tom had previously seen too, she'd never thought about things like that, she didn't even have a will.

Never in a million years did she think she have to actually do anything for him.

How wrong she’d been.

The voice informed her that he was stable, but currently undergoing surgery as he’d been in a road traffic accident and had a badly broken shin bone, a fractured wrist as well as some other minor cuts and bruises.

Although, when they mentioned mild head injury, she registered only the 'head injury' part and she felt a physical pain shoot through her. They needed paperwork to be signed on his behalf and they thought it’d be better to have a familiar face there when he woke up.

For the third time in four days, she got on a plane. Bouncing back up to New York and feeling like a human yo-yo, after hastily arranging the flight, but unlike when she'd traveled up on Friday afternoon to meet him after he finished school, this flight was completely angst-ridden.

At the airport, she’d called Donna and told her as much as she’d known, before she boarded and telling her not to worry Joanie and Haley until she knew some more.

By the time she arrived at the hospital, Joe was in Recovery, just out of surgery and not conscious yet. She’d waited outside and practically jumped on the doctor when he’d appeared to find out more. He patiently explained the surgery and the aftercare needed, clearly used to dealing with anxious relatives.

When she’d finally been allowed to see Joe, she’d been shocked to see the state of him.

There was an IV tube in his hand, various cuts and a whole catalog of bruises over him, a cast on his right wrist and another large one on his left leg, up to his knee with nasty looking metal spikes sticking out.

‘Jesus, Joe, what happened?’ her tone was overly sharp though worry.

His eyes swivelled slowly to find hers and he regarded her balefully, blinking sluggishly.

Dark circles ringed his eyes, and a large purple bruise hovered across his right temple and a band-aid added an unnecessary highlight over a small cut above the eye.

He must have bitten his lower lip on impact as it was swollen and scabbed on the same side.

He was still drowsy from the sedative and didn’t have a snappy come back in him. A mild concussion inhibited him too.

‘Hey ...’ was all he could manage and reached out his nearest hand to her.

She softened, seeing him like that and took his fingers, being careful of his wrist, ‘Hey there, how are you feeling?’

‘Hmm, like a car ran over me,’ he attempted a smile, but she frowned at him, not being able to hide her worry, ‘I look that bad, huh?’

She nodded, then realising he needed something, she tried playful too, ‘Well, it’s not your best look … are you in pain?’

‘I can’t really feel anything right now, I guess I’m full of meds,’ he closed his eyes and sighed, opening them again, ‘I just feel … umm … pummelled. Maybe ask me that again in a few hours. … I’m glad you’re here.’ he added softly after a pause.

Later, when she’d gotten over the shock, she teased him about the extreme length he’d gone to just to see her again as they’d only said goodbye the evening before.

The story had come out that he’d been walking over the crosswalk into school from the car park when a parent had somehow lost control and ploughed into him at some speed.

There’d been a student crossing too and Joe’d managed to push them out of harm’s way. He remembered the car hitting him, being on the hood and then suddenly seeing the ground, and that was about it.

A few days later, they’d found out that apparently there had been a spider in the car, which’d dropped down in front of the driver’s face, a mother at the school, freaking her out and she’d stepped on the gas instead of the brake. She’d sent over a large basket of fruit, chocolates and an expensive wine as an apology.

It was a bizarre accident and had happened in the split of a second. It made her realise how lucky he’d been.

He was signed off work for the few remaining weeks of the semester and was effectively jobless until the new academic year started in the fall.

Joe’d been torn, while he’d found another job in Miami, he wouldn’t be able to say goodbye to any of his students or know how they got on in their exams. Although, he was happy to be spending more time with Cam.

After getting him back to his apartment when he was released the following day, she realised that there was no way she’d be able to leave him on his own. The more he could rest, the quicker he’d heal.

It was actually a no-brainer to suggest that he come down to Miami and stay with her.

It’d been frustrating anyway since reconnecting back in late March that they’d only had weekends together and they went by far too quickly.

They mostly alternated between his place in Armonk and hers, it felt like a series of dates rather than a proper relationship. It made Cam uneasy and she started to doubt the strength of their re-connection.

They’d gone back to SF once in mid-April for a big party for Joanie’s 21st birthday party and the fourth anniversary of Gordon's passing. Both had coincided with Easter and Spring Break, so they'd had an extended stay.

There had been a barrage of questions and not just from Joanie, but they’d only been back together two weeks. She’d felt like they were on trial and had been glad to leave and spend time for the final part of the break with him back in Miami.

It would be better in a few months when it wasn’t all so new.

At least now he wasn’t working, he could focus on relocating to Miami, well that was the plan anyway.

She wasn’t sure if her mom would actually last the next six months, let alone the year. But he told her not to worry, they’d cross that bridge when they came to it.

It was actually really nice to have him to herself.

Well for the first few weeks anyway, she’d never been around him when he hadn’t had some project on the go, she would soon realise that bored, incapacitated Joe was a whole different ball game.

He’d all done the paperwork to transfer his care to the same hospital her mom was going to.

She quickly felt that it was her second home between ferrying both of them to various check-ups, tests and consultations.

Of course, it was too much to ask that the appointments lined up.

Len also helped out too, so it wasn’t all on her.

But she’d decided to cancel the job that she’d started the week before, the first time ever citing personal reasons, it was just too much with Joe and her mom to look after.

Ever since she’d effectively ‘lost’ her weekends thanks to getting back with Joe, she’d pretty much stopped working on coding a game she’d been developing, so at least now she magically had time to devote to it again.

She insisted that for the meantime that Joe keep the lease on his apartment in Armonk, there was something about the pressure of him moving in, permanently, that made her panic. She rationalised that it was good for him to have a place to go to in case things didn’t work out.

Joe, unfortunately, didn’t see it the same way.

He didn’t follow her logic, especially as they’d already talked about him relocating down to be with her in a couple of months anyway. He asserted that the accident had just brought it forward and that was a good thing.

That they could be together sooner, she wanted that, didn’t she?

She did, but it suddenly happening had made her nervous and she was hesitant, remembering their history.

He’d wanted to contribute to her rent, but she wouldn’t hear of him paying for two places, needlessly reminding him he was now an unemployed teacher.

It was a bone of contention between them, and she understood his point that he wouldn’t be paying double if he gave up his place. It was a rental so he couldn’t sub-let it, but he could give a month’s notice and get a company to move his stuff.

Her place was just too small for the two of them and their combined possessions, but she was loathed to move, as it was in a great location, close enough to her mom’s, the beach and a grocery store.

On the first day at hers, she’d managed to distract him for a while and they’d had fun playing video games for a few hours, then she did some coding and left him to his own devices with the TV remote.

When she’d come back, she’d been surprised how engrossed he’d been in a baseball game.

At the weekend, she’d taken him round to her mom and Len’s when she’d gone to visit.

The change of scene was good for them both, except Joe’d spilled about their fight and got both of them on his side.

The evening and night that followed when they returned 'home' had been tense. Only breaking when she'd given him a shower and it'll turned into sex. Delightfully, though his misfortune, she'd found out he had a thing for nurses and she enjoyed taking full advantage of him, especially shutting him up by putting his mouth to much better use in servicing her needs.

The next morning and he started the same shit up again as he was a tenacious S.O.B. and the issue remained unresolved. Although, she did wonder if he did it on purpose to get more sex.

This 'homecoming' was the fifth time Cam's mom had met him, and of course, typically, he’d won her and Len over instantly.

Her mom especially had already just _plain fallen in love_ with him, badgering Cam with questions of when they were going to move in and make it more permanent, hinting at, but never saying marriage or kids, outright.

Fortunately financially, they both were in quite comfortable places.

Joe would be getting sick pay until the end of the semester and the woman’s accident insurance covered the majority of his hospital bills. He also had a stash of savings from smart investments he’d made over the years, as well as some stocks and shares.

While, she also had a nice cushion. There were a slew of consults lined up the horizon that could keep her busy for the next 12-18 months, and every month without even lifting a finger she had a comfortable trickle of a fair few game royalties’ as well as the rent from the house she’d evertually had built on her plot of land in Cali.

But her mom also didn’t see the logic wasting money on his apartment in Armonk, when, she reasoned they could put it to their 'future.'

Jesus, she cursed under her breath, she felt ganged up on

Tight-lipped, she’d closed the subject down and wen for a walk.

Bailing, was still a habit that she had when things got too much. At least Joe wouldn’t be able to chase her down, she mused, he could barely hobble between rooms and the car at the moment.

Although, she’d forgotten about their newly acquired cell phones. But even that wasn't too much on a problem to silence, as she pressed the 'off' button decisively.

She needed some alone time, it was when she did her best thinking.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm ... will Cam let go of her fears and let poor wounded Joe move in, for good?
> 
> NB: Nokia 5110 cell phone released April 12, 1998


	2. Going Down South (June 2nd)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rewind to the day after Joe’s accident. Now back in Joe’s apartment in Armonk, Cam’s forced into playing nurse and learns something very surprising about his past and possibly why he’s got a bit of a thing about strong, caring women ...

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 2

19.48 p.m., Tuesday, June 2nd, 1998

Cam put away the last of the dishes. She grabbed the bundle she’d sorted out earlier and switched off Joe’s kitchen light.

She mused on the bizarre turn of events that meant she had a free reign in the housework, normally his domain.

After dinner, Joe slowly made his way through to the bedroom, hopping awkwardly along on his one good leg and pushing off the walls with his good hand to stabilise himself. The plaster cast with metal spikes was heavy and he couldn’t bear any weight on the leg yet.

It was slow going, not least because he'd re-fractured his right wrist, the same one he'd broken falling through the the basement after tussling with Tom in December '90.

His concern about how would Cam manage his large frame, meant he’d turned down her offer of help. He’d found using the crutch he'd been provided with was too difficult, being too restrictive as his one good hand would be needed to use it. He'd turned down flat the offer of a wheelchair, although he was beginning to see the wisdom of having one.

The concussion, the bruising in his brain, throbbed every time he lurched onto his foot. 

He really hoped the pain medication would kick in soon.

Cam found him sat on his bed, wrestling with his tee-shirt, which was stuck around his upper back and around his arms.

She could just see the top of his head and he was making noises half in pain and half in anger as he tried to move it up over his right shoulder with his one good hand.

‘ _Joe!_ Jesus, can’t you just wait for me?’ his impatience pissed her off. She sighed, putting down what she’d brought in next to his feet, staring down at him, and forcing herself to sound calmer, ‘Look, I don’t mind. Really, here ...’ and she took charge, pulling his left hand up so it was easier to take the tee straight up off him.

He sighed heavily but thanked her.

She knew he was frustrated; she figured she’d be exactly the same way, ‘OK, lay down and I can get these pants off.’

‘Ooh what a great bedside manner, such a sweet talker, so seductive …’ he said breathily, but he was glassy-eyed.

She wondered if he'd been released too soon, but stubbornly, he hadn't wanted to spend another night in the hospital. He'd probably had enough time in one when he was a kid to last a lifetime, she thought.

He groaned again as he tried to ease himself down on the bed, being careful of the bruises and his aching head. ‘Don’t think for one minute that you can take advantage of me, Nurse Ratched.’

She couldn't decide if he was trying to be sexy or funny, but it came out sounding more manic as he tried, and failed, to make fun of predicament.

'Well, you _are_ acting crazy like Jack Nicolson' was.' she countered, but she stroked his hand affectionately, ‘And I really don't think you’d be up for sex anyway.’

She smiled at him, but it was tinged with concern as he looked like a train wreck, the various bruises on his body had already deepened in color since the accident yesterday.

His handsome face also marred by a cut above his right eye, which drew attention to the large bruise covering his temple and cheekbone, his bottom lip was still slightly swollen on that side too.

Since his release from the hospital that morning, he’d mostly laid on the sofa and had been dosing on and off, being on strong painkillers.

The couple of times he’d needed to go to the bathroom had been an ordeal for them both, pain not being something that sat well with him and he'd taken his frustration out on her.

She tried to be sympathetic, knowing that it sapped his strength and was making him aggitated.

She’d kept him company but was regretting not having the presence of mind to have brought her laptop with her, still it was nice just have some time to read the book that she’d first started at Christmas.

Before they’d left the hospital, she’d organised one copy of his sign-off certificate to be posted to his school and another to his health insurance company.

He’d insisted on updating his school principal personally, and due to the nature of Joe's injuires, he'd made the decision to hire a substitute for the rest of the semester, effectively meaning Joe was free until the new school year in September.

He groaned with the effort of raising his hips off the bed so Cam could strip off his sweatpants and underwear.

‘No, probably no sex unfortunately,’ he agreed, ‘Unless it’s you on top ...’ he left the idea hanging there and moved his thighs together, trapping her legs in between them and deftly moving his uninjured hand round to cup her butt cheek.

She could tell his heart wasn’t really in it, suspecting that his evening medication hadn’t kicked in yet, so smiling she said, ‘Hmm … I think you’re making me promises your body can’t keep, MacMillan,’ and she tapped his arm lightly and pushed herself out of his legs, ‘C'mon, let’s get you showered first, hey loverboy?’

He let her go, smiling sheepishly, ‘Sorry, to be so much trouble.’ and he turned his face to hers, puckering up.

‘S’OK, I know you’d do the same for me,’ as she bent over him to kiss him affably, planting hers on one side to avoid the healing cut from a self-inflicted bite when the car hit him.

‘OK, then, let’s do this.’ She helped him to sit up.

She took out the large plastic trash bag, he grimaced as she helped him lift his leg so she could place it over his cast, wrapping it best she could, carefully avoiding the horrible looking metal screws. She used duct tape to seal it all the way round, knowing its removal was going to sting.

Surveying her work, she looked up at him and grinned, ‘Well, that’s a look.’

Sighing again, he put his arm out so she could do the same for the cast over his wrist.

Afterwards, she quickly shed her clothes too, ‘OK, c’mon hop-a-long.’

With a lot of effort, and allowing her to help him this time, Joe got up off the bed and they slowly made their way into his bathroom using the bedroom walls for support.

He headed to the toilet first, ‘Sorry, needs must.’ he mumbled.

‘Oh, OK. Do you need a hand?’ not that she wanted to, but she would help if he asked.

‘No, got it … thanks.’ and he braced himself against the facing wall with his good arm and angled his cock at the bowl with his plastic-covered hand. He exhaled with relief as he started.

She shook her head, smiling as she hung outside the bathroom waiting for him to finish, they knew each other well enough for it not to be awkward.

When he’d finished, he used the walls to move over to the shower, ‘OK, all done.’

‘I hope you shook it, so you don’t drip all over the floor.’

‘Of course, I _am_ the clean freak, as you like to frequently point out.’ he said irritably.

‘OK, OK, I’m just teasing you.’ she tried to keep her voice light. If he suddenly snapped, she knew she wouldn’t be far behind and it wouldn’t be good for either of them. She knew his spikiness was more to do with the pain he was in rather than her.

Tight-lipped, he turned around to wedge himself into a corner of his large tiled-lined shower, being so tall, he could easily reach the top to hook his good hand over the top and rest his injured one on the opposing side. He was glad it was a strong wall and not just a glass cubicle.

She knew moving took a lot out of him as he let out a long groan and closed his eyes. His head went back to rest on against the cool surface. His bruised stomach and chest heaved with the effort as he took big ragged breaths.

Cam took the shower hose down to adjust the temperature before turning it on him. They’d taken quite a few showers over the years, but this one was for purely practical purposes, ‘Let me know if this is too hot …’ and angled the shower at his bare thigh.

‘Yeah, that's fine … thanks.’ his voice was gravelly, he sounded tired, and his eyes remained closed. at least the dark circles had almost gone now, she thought.

‘Ahh … such a poor baby …’ she teased as with one hand she started carefully soaping his broad chest and following it with the showerhead.

His eyes opened to slits to look at her, ‘My pain's amusing to you?’ he said unsmiling, ‘You’re a terrible nurse …’

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out so sarcastically,’ she was grinning wider, but she moved in closer and went up on tiptoe, angling his head down to hers by soaping his neck, whispering more tenderly this time, ‘My poor baby …’ and she pressed a row of sweet kisses on his mouth, minding the swollen side of his lips again.

Stopping up close, she looked into his eyes, and whispered, ‘Is that a better bedside manner for you?’

‘Hmmm … much.’ he agreed, looking at her and the corner of his mouth finally twitched up, and he dipped down and kissed her.

The day had shown her how difficult his recovery was going to be, but she decided something earlier, ‘So now you’re jobless, how about coming down to Miami with me and you could help me improve my nursing skills?’

He regarded her with hopeful eyes, ‘I wouldn’t be in your way? You’ll be working, right?’

She’d just taken up new consulting job, but seeing him like this made her decide something, ‘I’ll call them tomorrow and pull the plug, I’ve been working a lot recently and between you and my mom …’ she broke off, suddenly realising that she did indeed need a break, feeling emotionally drained. ‘It’ll be nice to spend some decent time together too. It’s been so bitty.’

He knew what she meant as they’d mainly seen each other at weekends since getting back together at the end of March, ‘That’d be really great … thank you.’

Quiet descended as she returned to washing him, soaping his stretched-up arms, going as high as she could before running the soap down his sides and around his waist and up his back. Taking great care not to press too hard and cause him any more pain.

His eyes had closed again, and his head hung down slightly. He was reveling in her soft touch and not having to move.

He made little contented noises in his throat that went down deep inside her.

She watched his mouth open as she headed lower to his buttocks and squatted down to wash his legs and back up to wash around his dick.

She looked up to his face to find his eyes cracked open, watching her, she felt him start to stiffen in her hands. She smiled lopsidedly up at him, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

He allowed a small smile to creep onto his face, but closed his eyes again, leaving the next step up to her.

After finishing washing him, she was eye level with his cock and decided to try something while rinsing off the soap that was still on his right thigh and her right hand as she put the bar down against the wall behind her. She shut the water off and watched his eyes open again to find hers again as she cupped him, touching him in a very different way than before.

Her questioning eyebrow turned into a knowing smile as she felt his heaviness grow more in her hand.

‘Erm, so, what part of the treatment is this, nurse?’ he asked huskily with the little smile frozen on his lips, but a different kind of look was edging into his eyes.

‘It’s to take the patient’s mind off the pain … a well-known technique.’ she took his thickening shaft into her mouth and watched his eyes flutter as a groan escaped his beautiful, damaged lips.

She loved the power she had over him, it'd always been a real turn on for her.

His cock was wet and silky from the water, but she could feel its throbbing heat in her mouth. She ran her tongue over his tip and tasted the familiar bitter salt of his pre-cum.

Joe braced his upper back against the wall more and anchored his good right leg more firmly, so he could arch his back and push his cock toward her more.

She took the hint and slipped her hand around his balls, easing more of his thick length into her mouth.

He groaned loudly at the feel of her hot, sucking mouth and the visual that went with it. It was still his favorite thing, other than being inside of her. It was so intensely pleasurable, indeed helping him to forget the pain from the rest of his aching body and the stubborn headache that wouldn't shift.

His cock was fully erect now and was the focus of all his attention, he started tensing his butt and increasing the speed of his rocking hips, bending his left knee more to put as little weight as possible on his broken leg, but the heavy cast made it difficult.

She felt her own lust grow as she recognised the signs of his need, but she stopped abruptly and stood up.

If she let him come now, they wouldn’t be able to fuck for at least another hour, may be more and she selfishly couldn’t wait that long, she wanted to feel his magnificance cock inside of her.

Ignoring his frustrated gasp and the knotting of his eyebrows, ‘I forgot to wash your hair.’ was the only explanation she’d give him.

‘That’s _so_ not fair, Cam …’ he started, ‘ _Cam_ …’ he whined and thrust his cock out, bumping into her waist as he tried to get more of her silky touch.

‘Now, now, Mr MacMillan, trust me, _I_ know what’s best for my patients.’

He looked at her darkly, his face full of desire.

She smiled sweetly, moved out of his reach, and concentrated on pouring some shampoo into her hand.

She reached up and started massaging it into his scalp and at the same time, moved in to kiss his open lips. She felt his body relax under her hands and a moan hitched in the back of his throat.

Seeing him at her mercy only served to drive up her passion, she could feel the growing swell in her pussy and ground her body against his straining cock.

‘Aaahhhhhh … you’re a … a very _bad_ nurse.’ he finally sputtered out, she cruelly enjoyed the frustration in his voice. 

‘Wicked, even.’ she agreed, and she pushed her tongue into his mouth. They fought for a good few seconds, until she pushed herself against him again.

He groaned in frustration, and urged, ‘Cam, _please_ …’

She loved that he was begging already, ‘Now trust me, I _am_ a professional, you must wait to take your medicine, Mr MacMillan, you’re such an impatient patient …’

He burst out laughing not being able to maintain their game, he brought his right arm down and tried to pull her into him without putting pressure on his wrist.

Nuzzling her temple. he said breathily, ‘Finish washing my hair and just take me to bed. Then you can have your wicked way with me, my lovely little nurse.’

Shaking her head, she eyed him knowingly, chiding all the same, ‘Oh, so demanding …’ But she quickly did as he bid and then turned off the shower. She remembered to put the soap back in the dish before it caused another random accident.

She toweled him off, making sure his dick got plenty of attention, smiling as he sighed, saying, ‘My what a big boy are you …’

It was her turn to laugh when he whimpered and complained about her teasing.

She quickly dried herself and while her eyes were covered as she rubbed her hair, he reached out, his fingers squeezed her hardened nipple through the plastic bag over his hand. He made her yelp, and automatically, she went to bat his arm away but managed to pull the blow at the last minute when she realised it was his fractured right one.

He gasped in pain anyway.

‘Sorry! I didn’t know it was your bad one! Oh my God, are you OK?’ her face was full of concern.

He sucked in a breath, but grunted out, ‘Yes.’

‘God, Joe, sorry!' she felt guilty, 'OK, OK! Let’s go, so I can make it up to you.’

He smiled grimly and pulled himself forward with his good arm. Cam tried to support him under his left shoulder, he hopped to keep his weight on his right leg, landing heavily on it. Cam jumped when he let out a short, sharp shout.

‘What?’ and she stopped, stock still.

‘Ahhh! My fucking cock!’ he said with more venom than he’d intended.

His awkward gait meant that it bounced uncomfortably.

‘Oh, shit … sorry, Joe.’ she really tried to sound sincere, but he heard the small chuckle in her voice anyway.

‘It’s _not_ funny, Cam!’ he complained, ‘I would definitely put you over my knee if I could.’ he told her, his anger showing now.

‘I would definitely leave you here if you did.’ she quickly shot back, shutting him down.

They both went quiet, seeming to know a fight would ensue if they carried on.

Joe steeled himself to move again. He only had to go to his bed, in the next room, but it felt like miles away.

He hissed as he moved again and made a grab for the door frame. He stopped, looking balefully at his bed on the other side of the room, considering his options, across the carpet and fewer steps or around the longer way using the walls?

‘Joe, c’mon,’ she tried to encourage him using a carefully cheerful voice, despite her growing impatience with him.

He’d let her help him to the bathroom earlier, but he’d used the wall then. If he went the short way, he’d have no option but to put all his weight on her smaller frame. There was a real risk that they'd both topped over.

Exhaling, he finally said, ‘Can you get the crutch, please?’

‘It’s OK, we can manage, together. Don’t worry.’ she insisted.

He shook his head slowly, ‘No, I don’t want to hurt you, I’m too heavy and if I fall?’

He let that hang there, knowing that would do him more damage and maybe some to her too.

He couldn’t risk it.

She tried to pull him, but he leaned against the door frame and shook his head again.

They were at an impasse.

God, he was stubborn, but she knew him well enough that he wouldn't change his mind.

‘Can you take this of me now? I feel ridiculous.’ he said shaking his plastic-covered arm at her.

‘OK.’ Glad to have something else to do. She pulled a section of the duct tape up by scratching at it with her nail, looking at him, she asked, ‘Fast or slow?’

‘Fast.’

‘Ready?’ and he nodded, clenching his teeth.

She tried to pull it quickly, she really did, but it'd stuck to itself, which hindered her progress, making him grimace and huff in annoyance as it pulled his skin and the attached hairs.

‘I'm sorry!’ she could see the tensing of his body and his increasingly angry moans the more she tried to free him.

Eventually it came free, and she went to get the one covering his leg.

‘Can you just put your fingers through the plastic, and I’ll do the tape this time.’ he said, trying to soften his voice.

After she’d removed the plastic, she said, ‘OK, I’ll go get the crutch, wait here.’ It slipped out before she could stop herself.

He let out a sharp snort of air, _‘Really?_ I thought I’d go for a short run …’ he said sarcastically and rolled his eyes at her.

‘Don’t be nasty, you know what I mean!’ and she went to search for it before he said anything else, glad to get away from him even for a short while.

It's the pain, it's the pain, don't let him get to you, she reminded herself.

When she came back, the tape was off and he’d already started toward the bed using the wall, ‘Hey, why did I get this if you can move?’ she said, ‘Jesus, you’re so annoying.’ She let out an exasperated sigh.

Fucking stubborn man, she fumed inside.

He stopped and pointed to his deflated dick.

‘Oh! ... OK ... Well, that’s a shame.’ she said with feeling, ‘But at least that’s one less painful part of you.’ and she smiled.

He hopped again, ‘Ughh! Well, I think you can coax it back up again.’ he grinned back at her, before continuing, ‘Fuck, this is hard work, I’ll probably need a bed bath by the time I get there, Nurse Howe.’

She knew there was something vaguely sexually about them but had never met anyone who’d had one to ask.

Then it occurred to her, _he_ might have really experienced them,and maybe it would take his mind of the pain, ‘OK, so did you have any bed baths when you were in the hospital after the fall?’

‘Oh yeah.’ he sounded wistful, and a secret smile appeared. He’d been bedridden for almost two years and had had plenty.

‘OK, spill, MacMillan, I bet you had all the pretty nurses lining up to jerk you off?’

He stopped his progress and stared at her, shocked, ‘ _Cameron!_ I was just a _kid!_ ’

‘You were a prepubescent boy,’ she corrected, ‘A horny teenager, right?’ she pressed, hovering near him as he bumped his way along the wall, there was a lurid story here, she could feel it.

He sighed, ‘I _mostly_ had mid-aged nurses and extremely embarrassing, but completely 'physiological response erections', not because I was turned on by _them_.’

‘ _Really?_ ’' now this was a revelation, she waited for him to expand.

He hopped again, grunting with the effort, five or six more agonising ones and he’d at his goal.

‘ _Joe!_ You can’t leave me hanging with just that. I _need_ details!’ she insisted.

‘I know, I know. Just let me get there.’ nodding at his bed, ‘Then you can pump me for all the information your smutty little heart desires.’

‘ ‘Pump!’ ’ she repeated with glee, ‘OK! But seriously, 'physiological response erections'? Did you make that up!’ she accused him.

'No,' then he considered, 'Well a doctor told me, so unless _he_ made it up.'

Oh man, this was going to be _good_ , she thought. How come she didn’t know this already? How could he still surprise her after all the years she’d known him?

Then, realising she had a pressing need of her own, ‘Joe, will you be OK if I go pee real quick?’

Seeming not to have heard her, after another hop, he stopped and panted, ‘Oh man, this is killing me.’

She came over and looked him in the eye, her face full of concern and eyebrows raised.

He sighed, ‘I’m fine, really.’ then he said, ‘Go pee.’

After a few more hops, he finally reached the bed and stood over it with one hand outstretched on the bottom of the mattress. ‘Oh God.’ he complained, breathing heavily.

Cam came back and couldn’t resist slapping his bare ass, making him jump, ‘Sit!’ she instructed.

‘Ow! I am _not_ a dog.’ he was getting pissed again, his head hurt, and his broken leg throbbed painfully. He couldn’t feel the effects of his medicine, ‘And, if _I_ can’t spank _you_ , then _you_ definitely can’t spank _me_.’

‘Firstly, that was an affectionate slap, not an all-out assault to show dominance.’ but she softened as she recognised the edge in his voice and could see he was struggling to hold it together.

For once, she decided to try a different tact, stroking his back, and down to sooth where she’d hit him, ‘I’m very sorry, honey, you’re right. I shouldn’t have hit you. I know you're in pain. Listen, I don’t wanna fight, I want you to rest and I want to hear all about your ‘physiological response erections’ story.’

Not being used to her apologising, he looked over his shoulder at her to check she was being serious, as he had the distinct feeling she was pulling his leg.

She went around him and lay up on the bed opening her arms to him, ‘C’mon boy, come here. C’mon!’ and she tapped her like as if calling a dog to her, smiling broadly.

His stern face split and he laughed at her. He looked around the bed and tried to work out how to get there with his injuries.

He inhaled and stood up again, deciding it was better to move up off the bed using the wall again than try to clamber over to her.

Cam pulled the covers down to make it easier for him as he slowly made his way round. His brows were pulled down in concentration and lines were etched into his face.

Task achieved, he sat down heavily, groaning and she helped him swing his broken leg up and ease himself down.

He closed his eyes in relief.

She pulled the covers up over them both and snuggled herself alongside him. She listened as he sucked in air and his breathing started to normalise.

She curled into him more, wrapping her arm over him protectively. She stroked his chest just below his throat, knowing it was a soft spot for him.

She felt him relax under her and smiled as he sighed appreciatively.

She moved up closer to his face so she could kiss his cheek, his eyes opened a crack and she asked him softly, ‘How you doing?’

He patted her leg, ‘I’m OK … thanks.’

But he sounded weary and looked worn out.

‘Do you want to sleep?’

‘Mmmm, God, I feel like I’ve slept most of the day.’

She paused for a beat, then smiling, ‘Well, you kinda have.’

He pulled his left arm up to look at his watch.

‘What time is it?’

‘Almost nine forty.’

‘So, sleep then?’

‘No, not yet, it's too early.’

Joe thought it’d be better to try and stay up as late as he could. He didn’t want to wake up in the early hours, hours before he could take his next lot of pain meds. ‘Talk to me, so you’re really going to quit?’

‘Yeah, it’ll be easier doing it now as I’ve only just started, and they can easily get someone else. I’ll tell them about you and mom …’ She faltered and he heard the quaver in her voice.

He brought his hand up over hers and squeezed it, ‘Hey, it’s OK.’ He turned to nuzzle her head as best he could, wanting to give her the comfort she’d been so generous giving him all day, despite he being like a bear with a sore ... everything.

‘I don’t think she’s going to last the year.’ she sighed and pulled him tighter, that was the whole reason he'd got a job in Miami, and if her mom died, she'd feel bad that he moved down and they were stuck there. She stopped herself thinking about it, as it hurt her head.

‘No, she might not,’ he agreed, ‘So, that’s all the more reason to spend as much time with her now.’ he waited and then said, ‘I’ll call a travel agent first thing. We can see if there's a flight down some time tomorrow.’

‘Really, you’ll be OK to travel so soon? What about the follow-ups with the hospital?’ She partially sat up to look at him better.

‘Well, the first check-up isn’t until next week so I can call and transfer to the same hospital that your mom is going to. That should be straight forward enough and as for flying, whether it’s tomorrow or next week, I don’t think it’ll be any easier, so might as well just get it over with. I can sort out all this stuff, the apartment and my things, when I’m better or get a company to do it.’

She leaned back in to kiss him, ‘Thank you, let’s go first class, my treat, it’ll be better for you anyway.’

‘Good idea, but let me treat you, seeing as I’m going to be a giant pain in your butt for the foreseeable future and you’re giving up your job too.’

Sighing dramatically, she said. ‘Let’s shelve this ‘til tomorrow.’ she knew it would definitely lead to a fight otherwise, and she tapped his chest, ‘Anyway! There’s much more interesting things to talk about … such as those ’physiological response erections’ of yours.’

He snorted, ‘Dear God.’ He should’ve known she wasn’t going to let it go.

‘C’mon spill. So how many middle-aged nurses are we talking exactly? What did they do? Were there any young nurses? Or _male_ nurses?’ she was perched over his chest, looking at him with a wide, playful smile.

‘OK, OK, calm down, remember it was dark, old days of the late 1950s, things were a quite different then, homosexuality _was_ still illegal. And it wasn’t as if I really knew about that or bisexuality either, I wasn't _experienced_ at all. I _was_ only eleven. Still an innocent virgin ...’ he smirked, and then said, 'Well, a virgin anyway.'

She shook her head, and smiled broadly, teenage boys, probably all the same the world over, she figured.

He did remember the very striking male orderly, who’d come and read to him on his breaks for a few months and gave him funny feelings in the pit of his stomach.

He’d blushed as many a time he felt himself harden while listening to his sonorous voice and prayed to God that the guy didn’t notice. _He_ hadn’t given him a bed bath, much to Joe’s confusing disappointment.

At eleven, Joe was already going through puberty, but he didn’t understand why he was more attracted to the hard lines of men rather the softer ones of women, which he knew was normal. Not that his traitorous cock seemed to care either way, geting hard at the slightest thing, with no rhyme or reason.

He sighed and started recounting, ‘So, I had two to three bed baths a week for just under two years. Most of the time it was done by two nurses on the day shift, Nurse Hill and Nurse Little. Two very experienced, kind but no-nonsense types. Probably between 40- or 50-year olds. Once a week, or whenever it was needed, they’d clean my wounds and change the dressings and then very efficiently wash my face, neck, arms, arm pits, feet, legs, penis and testicles. Then, I’d be carefully turned so my back and butt including the orifice could be cleaned. They also helped me use the bed pan and piss into some special shaped bottle. So all of my very highly embarrassing private bodily functions were suddenly gloriously shared by the nursing staff at whatever time of the day or night.’

‘Oh my God.’ she bulked, never thinking about what it would have been like for him, being so young, ‘And so the erections?’

‘Well, yeah,’ and he raised his eyebrows and smirked at her again, ‘Well, I was just a normal, hormonal teenage boy, and even though it was purely functional, someone other than me touching it, just set it off.’ he gave a small laugh, ‘I had very little control …’

‘Hmm, like you do _now?_ ’ thinking about the shower they’d just taken. She slowly edged one hand down his scarred torso and looked at him as if daring him to stop her. She knew exactly how much 'control' he had.

His deep laugh resonated in his chest and she could feel the vibrations as her hand moved slowly but insistently down towards his soft belly, ‘No, not really.’ he looked at her, quirking an eyebrow, ‘Where are you going, eh?’

She waggled her eyebrows, and chuckled suggestively, ‘So did you get hard every time?’

‘Err, pretty much, but after a few weeks or months, it just became normal. Not that didn’t stop me feeling _so_ mortified about them. Then later, it was like, we all knew what was happening, but we didn't talk about. It was our dirty little secret. I refused to make eye contact, and tried my hardest not to make any noise. I just wanted to curl up and die, but they were sweet. It must have happened a lot, and not just to me.’

At first, he’d tried so hard not to get aroused, not understanding that it was triggered by touch and not an actual attraction to the two matronly-looking ladies, both who were older than his parents.

He’d been so tense and agitated by it and it was interfering with the healing of his injuries. So much so that eventually his doctor had come by and talked to him about it.

He’d told him to relax and put his mind somewhere else when they happened, explaining that they were just ‘physiological response erections’ and had nothing whatsoever to do with desire. Then the doctor had leaned in close and conspiratorially said that he’d definitely lose in a battle of wills with his dick, so he might as well just lie back and enjoy them.

He also told him that wet dreams were par for the course at his age and were nothing to be ashamed about, to use the tissues by his bed and if he needed to 'attend' to himself, night-time was probably better. No-one had ever talked to him so frankly about masturbation before.

It was completely normal to the nurses, especially with the younger male patients. In fact, it _not_ happening was more an indication of a problem.

They both secretly enjoyed the tall youth’s hot blushes and stifled noises. They were much easier to deal with than the more lecherous intentions of the older men that they encountered on their rounds.

‘There’s got to be more than that. Tell me about the first time. How did you feel? Did they do anything ... inappropriate?’ Cam pushed.

He chuckled, ‘Technically, I think quite a few times happened before I even came round, I was out for about a week, a week and a half … and no they both behaved impeccably. But I was very weak for a long time and _so_ embarrassed by everything that was happening to me, not that I could do anything about it with various drips and wires keeping me alive. Then after I’d been told my mom had died and I was understandably … upset, crying pretty much non-stop. But I remember once, when I was stronger trying to fight and refuse, pushing them away, it being just one humiliation too much that day or something. Anyway, afterwards, one of them came back and she told me not to be embarrassed because it was completely normal and that I had a lovely large penis and I’d make some girl very happy one day.’

He remembered sniveling and leaving a heavy trail of tears and snot on her soft pillowy bosom and how she’d kissed his forehead. She’d been more of a comfort to him in those five or ten minutes than his cold, distant father ever had.

‘No! She really said that to you?’ Cam was scandalised.

He laughed freely at her disbelief, ‘Without a word of a lie.’

She found it hard to stop laughing, ‘I know that’s the proper word, but it just sounds so hilarious.’ and she repeated it again, ‘A lovely large _penis_.’

Smirking broadly now, he leaned a bit closer and said, in his sexy, gravelly voice, ‘Does my lovely large _penis_ make you happy, Cam?’

Her hand circled him, and she flashed her teeth in delight on finding him already hardening, ‘Mmm … very happy.’ she purred.

He groaned at the touch, ‘So the nurse was right?’

‘Well nurses are very smart people, and you don’t want to get on the wrong side of them, _ever_.’ She was pleased to see laughter with a hint of lust, rather than pain, dancing around his features.

‘And what exactly are you up to, little miss nurse? Taking advantage of me?’

‘I just have to check everything is still working correctly before taking you home, you know ‘try before you buy’?’ she smiled sweetly at him.

He loved the innocent look on her face, while her hand was being decidedly wicked.

‘Ooh lucky me.’ he chortled as she pulled the covers down and surveyed him.

‘Ahh! Such a pretty little thing! Such 'control'! It looks like you want to play with me!’ she cooed at it. His cock twitched, seemingly in response.

‘ _Little?’_ his eyebrows came down.

She waved him off, ‘It’s just a saying, don’t get your panties in a wad.’ Suddenly, something else occurred to her, ‘So, wait, is _that_ why you like to lie back and let me take charge? Do you have some deviant fantasy about those middle-aged nurses having their wicked way with you? Bouncing up and down on your _lovely large penis_ as you fail to fight them off? … Oh my God! You _do_ , don’t _you?_ ’ and she smiled gleefully, having found something so juicy to tease him with.

She looked at his surprised face.

Truth be told he’d never thought about it that much, but he conceded she _could_ have a point.

‘Well, well, well, Mr MacMillan, what a dirty little secret you’ve been hiding from me _all_ this time … Shall I get a nurses outfit and I can help you take care of your ‘little problem’?' she winked saucily.

He couldn’t help but let out a groan, his brain already envisioning her ensconced in a uniform.

She snickered as his cock twitched and his hips arched up involuntarily towards her, and using her best doctor’s voice, she said, ‘Now, Mr MacMillan, keep still, I’m just going to examine you …’

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are very welcome, as are any requestions for shorts, pick a weekend from below!
> 
> \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Snippets (collection of shorts charting Cam & Joe’s new relationship)  
> Timeline in 1998  
> Mar 28-29, S+S – SF – Haley’s birthday weekend (Fate 1 & 2)  
> Apr 3-5, F+S+S – 1st time at Joe’s (Armonk)  
> Apr 11-15 Easter weekend + Spring break - whole week off - Joanie’s 21st party (bday 9) / 4th year anniversary of Gordon’s death (14)  
> Apr 15-19, F+S+S – 1st time at Cam’s (Miami - Joe Meets Cam’s mom and Len)  
> Apr 24-26, F+S+S – 2nd time at Joe’s  
> May 1+2-3, F+S+S – 2nd time at Cam’s  
> May 6, W – Discover that Cam’s mom’s cancer has returned and spread  
> May 8-10, F+S+S – 3rd time at Cam’s (mother’s day)  
> May 15-17, F+S+S – 3rd time at Joe’s  
> May 22-24, F+S+S – 4th time at Cam’s  
> May 29-31, F+S+S – 4th time at Joe’s  
> Jun 1, M – Joe’s accident  
> Jun 3, W – Joe and Cam fly down to Miami for his recuperation  
> Jun 10, W - The Long Sleepover 
> 
> TBC


End file.
